Tata Nano: The People's Car that Promises to Reconstruct the Automobile Industry

This case and the accompanying three-part theory-based movie describe Tata Motors strategic move to create and launch the Tata Nano and the successes and setbacks of the Tata Nano team in actualizing this strategic move. The case and part-one of the theory-based video first review how the Tata Nano was conceived based on noncustomer insights from an alternative industry the two-wheeler market and how a strategic price was set against alternatives to capture the mass of target buyers. The case and part-two of the theory-based movie then show how the Tata Nano team complemented its compelling value proposition with a viable profit proposition by pursuing target-based costing to deliver exceptional buyer utility at the strategic price set. Finally, the case and part-three of the theory-based movie examine different components of the Tata Nano s people proposition to identify the major causes of the setback it experienced in executing the strategic move, illustrating the importance of matching strong value and profit propositions with an equally compelling people proposition to ensure the successful execution of a blue ocean strategy. The three-part theory-based movie, which longitudinally tracks the Tata Nano strategic move from conception to execution, is based on first-hand research and face-to-face interviews. A comprehensive teaching note also accompanies the case.